


Make Them BLeEd

by IcyPanther



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, BAMF Lance (Voltron), Gen, Hurt Lance (Voltron), Hurt/Comfort, Lance (Voltron) Angst, Lance (Voltron) Whump, Mind Control, Possession, Protective Lance (Voltron), Team as Family, Whump
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-13
Updated: 2020-10-13
Packaged: 2021-03-07 18:41:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,902
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26992324
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IcyPanther/pseuds/IcyPanther
Summary: The voice burned inside Lance’s head and sent lightning flowing through his veins, barely audible over the sound of his screams.‘YoU CaNnoT FiGhT Me,  PaLaDiN,’it chuckled.‘ThErE Is No UsE ReSiStInG.’Or; Macidus the Druid is not as dead as they’d thought. And he’s going to use Lance’s body to kill all of Voltron.
Relationships: Lance (Voltron) & Everyone
Comments: 58
Kudos: 348





	Make Them BLeEd

**Author's Note:**

> **Timeline notes:** Set directly after “The Ruins,” season seven episode five  
>  **Warning notes:** Blood, violence, character “death”

Lance knelt at the side of the lake and splashed cool water onto his face.

It didn’t help but it still felt nice. 

The headache had been growing steadily worse since Krolia had left with the injured Kolivan and Lance had never been so grateful for Coran to announce there was a habitable planet down below and would they like to stop there and rest for the evening?

Pidge was also complaining of a headache over the comms and Allura had quietly said she had one too; no doubt from the energy it had taken to dispel the dark magic that had kept them all trapped while Keith went one on one with a more insane than typical Druid. No doubt the exposure to the Druid’s magic wasthe cause of the headache and rest to restore their quintessences to full strength should fix it.

Lance had been glad to hear that’s all there was to it, but as the hours had dragged on the pain only seemed to be getting worse, not better, he was starting to grow a little worried. No one else had complained of such, not even Allura who had taken the brunt of the attack, and Lance didn’t want to be the first. It had been… been a long day and him griping when there was nothing to be done would only make already short, tired tempers snap.

He’d hoped the fresh air on the planet would help and while the barely there breeze had been refreshing and dried some of the sweat it hadn’t relieved the ache. 

But he was a Paladin of Voltron and it was just a headache and he could deal with it. So while Hunk started on some campfire meal and Shiro and Coran coaxed Keith to let them look at him -- and holy crow, those were some _massive_ bruises -- and Pidge, Allura and Romelle started to set up camp with mattresses and blankets from the Lion, Lance had offered to walk to the lake Coran had pointed out about a quarter mile from camp to replenish their canteens and for Hunk to use in his stew. 

Lance had the ulterior motive that the fresh air and light exercise while not running for his life might help.

It did not, but it had felt nice.

He lifted one of the filled canteens and upended it over his head, letting cool water trickle through hair that had not seen a shower in over a week and _Dios_ he’d do anything for a long, hot show--

 _Pain_ exploded without any warning behind his eyes.

He might have screamed, he wasn’t sure because all he knew was _pain pain pain_ and there was lightning in his head, diving into his brain and under his skin and oh _Dios Dios Dios, it hurt it hurt it hurt._

Slowly, too slowly, the pain lessened to a harsh throbbing -- still more painful than it had been but nothing on the supernova going off in his head -- and Lance became aware he was curled up in the shallows of the lake, cold water seeping under his armor, with his hands dug into his scalp and his eyes squeezed shut. 

He shuddered out a breath and then another and then slowly uncurled, the water sloshing gently.

The pain didn’t increase.

He took another breath and pushed himself to sitting, arms shaking and opened his eyes to look at his reflection in the lake.

Pools of molten yellow stared back.

Lance blinked.

The glowing yellow eyes remained in place of dark ocean blue and white.

_‘DoN’t ScReAM.’_

The voice echoed in his head.

It _burned._

Lance threw his head back as every nerve, every instinct, every receptor in his body told him to scream and not stop until the pain did.

Only the barest whimper emerged. 

What was…

 _Dios_ , what was happening?

He stumbled to his feet, water dully splashing in his ears, and he staggered forward.

_‘DoN’t MoVe.’_

Lance’s legs froze without permission.

No.

No no no no no.

Something was _wrong._

He needed _help._

He grit his teeth, tears blurring his vision, and forced his right leg forward. 

Then the left.

Each step felt like someone was stabbing his legs with fire.

He managed another.

Get to the team.

Get to the team.

_‘DoN’t FiGhT mE, pAlAdIn.’_

Lance crashed down with a silent cry and a dull splash, body seizing and lightning flowing through his veins.

What…

What _was this?_

His head ached with renewed intensity and Lance squeezed his eyes shut.

And with the loss of his vision Lance became more aware of the pain in his head, but…

But there was something else.

Or…

Fire turned to ice in his blood.

Someone. 

_‘FiGuReD iT oUt?’_ the voice asked, almost a cackle to it. 

He could hear it now in memory.

That laughter, that scorn, the _hate._

But… _but how?_

Keith had…

Keith had killed him. 

Lance had seen it. 

Macidus had _died_.

‘ _ApPaReNtLy NoT.’_

No.

This wasn’t…

This wasn’t possible.

And as surely as Macidus was siphoning off his thoughts -- _Dios,_ he was in his _head_ \-- he could feel the Druid’s.

He was going to hurt the others.

He…

He was going to _kill_ them.

 _‘YeS,’_ came a near croon that was like nails on a chalkboard. ‘ _ThEy WiLl DiE aNd YoUr HaNd…’_

Lance felt his fingers twitching, uncurling from fists. 

And then the cold feeling of metal filled them.

His bayard.

Macidus had just…

‘ _WiLl PulL thE triGGer.’_

No.

No, he wouldn’t let him. He… he…

 _‘You CannOt figHt me,’_ Madicus hissed. 

Lance faintly realized his words were becoming clearer. 

‘ _I am stronG while You are weAk. You will be My neW body and I will Deliver VolTron’s heads to mY lady Haggar and she wiLl reward me.’_

Lance faintly shook his head.

No.

He’d stop him.

Somehow.

 _‘How?’_ came the amused question. _‘How will you stop mE, Paladin?’_

Lance willed his bayard away. He felt it flicker, felt a spark of hope that he could stop Madicus…

And that spark turned into an inferno.

Lance let out another silent scream, feeling it tear out of his throat but only an echo of sound to accompany it, and his bayard remained fully formed in a hand that did not want to hold it.

Macidus was going to…

To use him to…

To…

‘ _Time to go,’_ Macidus commanded and Lance found his limbs acting without consent as he stumbled to his feet, kicking up a spray of water as he clumsily made for the shore.

Macidus expressed his displeasure at Lance’s walk, but Lance could hear too that he was overall pleased with his new body.

His body.

Lance shivered. But only in his mind.

Macidus laughed at it.

It was why he’d picked Lance. He didn’t want the cripple, didn’t want the Galra because he wanted to _kill him_ and the hatred directed at Keith burned in a whole different way. He hadn’t wanted a female body and hadn’t wanted to mess with the magic Alteans possessed. He was left between ‘the large fat one’ or the ‘tall slender one’ and had chosen to latch his consciousness with the rest of his magic onto Lance as it was closest to what his own had been.

Lance mentally shook his head, his body no longer obeying to follow through on the action.

No.

 _‘Yes,’_ Macidus chuckled. ‘ _Your body is mine, Paladin. See how even now it responds to me?’_ Lance’s hands lifted, trailing over his chest, down his stomach and sliding off his hips in a way that made Lance’s stomach churn at Macidus’ amusement. ‘ _Oh yes,’_ Macidus’ voice was like a sick purr. ‘ _I will enjoy it very much.’_

They’d made it out of the lake now, Lance’s body headed in the direction of camp. 

Lance braced his feet with no success, every attempt earning him a hiss of lightning singing through his veins that only seemed to hurt him, not the Druid.

 _‘I cannot be hurt by my own magic,’_ Macidus informed him smugly. ‘ _But it can certainly hurt you. Stop resisting, Paladin, and spare yourself the pain.’_

Lance tried even more stubbornly to plant himself, to dematerialize his bayard. 

His body just kept moving.

Like a puppet on a string.

His eyes felt hot although no tears fell from yellow eyes that didn’t belong.

But…

His team. They would see that. They would _know._ They would stop him before he--

‘ _Your faith in them is admirable,’_ Macidus interrupted. _‘But you are foolish. You think they are in any condition to fight? No. You will kill them and the last thing they will know is terror and betrayal and it will be_ beautiful.’ 

No. Never. He would _never_ hurt them. He would rather die.

His feet slowed.

 _‘Interesting,’_ Macidus observed. 

Lance tried not to think on it, tried not to think of what it could mean because then Macidus would know too--

‘ _It is useless, Paladin. I can hear your every thought. Yes, you are correct. You are strongest when you are protecting someone, as the very nature of your quintessence tells me. But…’_ Lance could hear his grin. ‘ _It means you are weakest when you fail to do so.’_

The sound of footsteps, heavy on the strangely gravely ground, reached them.

 _‘Like so,’_ came the hiss.

And Lance froze as Hunk came into view through the tall grasses, his steps hurried but not quite panicked. 

Macidus commanded him to look down, to keep his eyes averted until the last possible second.

His hand twitched on the trigger of his bayard.

“--there you are!” Hunk let out a breathless chuckle.

Lance strained to move, to scream, to do _something, anything,_ but his body would not move. 

His hand tightened on his bayard.

Hunk didn’t seem to see it.

‘ _Just one shot,’_ Macidus whispered. ‘ _Right through his head.’_

Glee and horror shook him as the Druid’s feelings flowed as his own.

No.

No. 

_Dios,_ no.

He began to lift his bayard.

Please.

Please let Hunk see it.

Please don’t let him…

Let him...

“--needed the water for the soup and was wondering if you’d gotten distracted by a swim and…” Hunk’s voice tapered off. He must have finally noticed the bayard as it lifted through the grass. “Uh, Lance, what’s going on?”

_‘Call out his name.’_

“Hunk,” Lance whispered.

‘ _Let him see us. Let him_ fear.’ 

He slowly lifted his head.

‘ _And…’_

Yellow eyes met honey brown.

Lance faintly heard Hunk’s deep inhale.

‘ _Kill him.’_

Lance raised his bayard.

His arm shook.

No.

No.

_Dios, no, por favor, no._

“Hunk,” he choked it out that time, fire burning his throat but it was nothing on the cold creeping around his heart. He held his best friend’s horrified gaze. “ _Run.”_

Hunk took one shaky step backwards.

It wasn’t enough.

There was no where to run.

Nowhere to go.

No no no _no._

Macidus laughed.

Lance aimed his bayard. 

And fired. 

The shot went directly between Hunk’s eyes.

He collapsed soundlessly. 

And Macidus’ glee fizzled out as Lance stood there, arm shaking, horror rising, but…

But not enough.

Not enough for a kill.

Because…

Because Lance hadn’t killed him.

His bayard had been set to stun. 

It was always set to stun barring very specific, dire circumstances.

Macidus hadn’t known and Lance hadn’t brought it to his attention.

‘ _You insolent whelp,’_ Macidus growled.

Lance’s lips curled on their own into a smirk.

And lightning flooded his body.

He screamed.

And that time he heard it.

Raw and agonizing and _loud._

‘ _Bring them here,’_ Macidus hissed, voice echoing in Lance’s head over the sound of his own cries, over the sound of his bayard deactivating the stun setting, ‘ _bring them to me.’_

And they would come. 

They would come and they would think Lance and Hunk had been attacked and then…

Then…

Then…

‘ _Scream more.’_

Lance _wailed_ as fire seemed to be burning him from the inside out, unable to stop himself. 

‘ _Quiet.’_

Lance stopped with a suddenness that scared him, body going completely limp, eyes squeezed shut and he couldn’t open them no matter how hard he tried.

His bayard was still tight in hand, finger hovering on the trigger. 

And…

“Lance!” 

Pidge.

He heard his name called again, heard Hunk’s.

Allura.

Keith.

Coran.

Shiro.

Even Romelle.

They were all…

No.

No no no. 

_‘Wait for it…’_

He heard the moment they spotted him and Hunk, motionless on the ground.

Heard the hurried footsteps.

The shouts.

‘ _Get ready…’_

And felt hands land on his shoulder to turn him over.

Small hands.

Pidge.

Oh _Dios,_ no.

‘ _And…’_

 _“_ Lance! Lance!”

She sounded so _scared._

Macidus was vibrating with excitement.

‘ _Open your eyes.’_

Lance got the barest glimpse of Pidge’s face.

Her eyes widened. Her face paled.

His name died on her lips.

‘ _Shoot.’_

The blast echoed in tandem with Pidge’s scream as his bayard blew out her stomach.

Hot blood splattered his face and her body thumped atop his own.

_Dios._

_Dios,_ what had he just…?

‘ _Now let’s have some fun.’_

Lance was on his feet in a blink, shoving Pidge off him without pause, reeling from both the vertigo and a strange sort of numbness settling over his heart.

He’d just…

Just…

‘ _Fire.’_

Shouts of Lance’s name became as blurred as the figures -- his _family, Dios,_ he was _shooting his family_ \-- around him as he pivoted, hand holding down the trigger.

He couldn’t stop.

No matter how hard he tried he couldn’t stop.

He couldn’t stop himself from shooting Allura, the blast ripping through her right arm -- no armor there, Macidus striking every opening Lance couldn’t help but observe -- and she dropped her bayard.

Couldn’t stop as he _stabbed_ Keith’s wolf as the two tried to teleport inside his range and his bayard shifted to a sword in that split second _\-- ‘what a fascinating ability you have, Paladin’ --_ before returning to a gun that _shot_ Keith point-blank in the chest.

The wolf’s howl and Keith’s shout as they staggered away echoed in his ears.

Macidus laughed.

And laughed and laughed and _laughed_.

 _‘Isn’t this fun?’_ Macidus whispered. ‘ _Look at them_ bleed. _Look at them_ die.’

And that was all Lance could do, numb, icy horror settling in his chest.

Watch.

And listen.

He would never forget the sounds of their screams. 

The sight of their blood. Their pain. 

But…

But there was no sign of betrayal. 

No curses thrown his way, no desperate, confused _“why?”_ or “ _how?”_

There was confusion, yes.

And fear.

But there was no hate. No anger. No blame.

They didn’t…

They didn’t blame him. 

And…

Lance’s eyes widened.

Because Pidge…

Romelle was pulling her away, trying to remove her from battle, towards where Coran was frantically gesturing.

But she wasn’t moving a corpse.

Because Pidge was alive.

Her face was scrunched with pain and gore covered her side but not the fatal strike to her stomach Lance had believed himself to make.

She was alive.

He hadn’t killed her.

Somehow, even with Macidus controlling his body, he hadn’t killed her.

He’d…

He’d protected her as much as he had been able to in the circumstances. 

Lance’s next shot, aimed for Shiro’s head as he covered Hunk, went wide.

He could feel Macidus’ surprise.

His realization.

And then his _anger._

It showed itself in the burst of lightning and fire that gripped his heart, filled his veins.

Lance tipped his head back, scream bursting forth, but he was forced to remain standing, his hand still on the trigger. 

‘ _Do not fiGht me,’_ Macidus snarled, voice burning as much as his magic. 

Lance screamed louder.

No.

He would fight.

He would not hurt his family again.

It was as he’d said earlier.

He would rather die than hurt them.

And this pain? 

It was nothing compared to the thought of losing them.

‘ _Stop FiGhting mE!’_

Lance could feel it.

Macidus could feel it.

His control was slipping. 

“Lance!” Allura screamed.

“Lance!” Shiro’s voice joined hers. 

Then Keith’s -- a breathy, pained version but still strong -- then Coran and Romelle.

And then...

His name was a whisper but he heard it clear as day, saw Pidge’s eyes focus on him even as blood dripped down her chin.

“ _Fight!”_ they screamed.

Lance fought.

He pushed against the lightning, against the _hate_ trying to wrap around his heart.

He summoned up hope, and love and _protection._

He would protect them.

And they…

He reangled his bayard.

They…

_‘StOp!’_

It pressed against his heart that even the Paladin armor would not be able to stop this close.

They would…

His hands shook.

Fire blinded him.

Crippled him.

His finger wrapped around the trigger.

Everyone was screaming.

Himself.

Macidus.

His family.

But it was okay.

He would protect them.

And they…

They would save him.

Lance pulled the trigger.

xxx

He heard voices.

There were a lot of them, one over the other.

Soft, but at the same time loud.

And safe.

Lance felt his lips pulling up into a smile.

His family.

“Lance!” one of the voices separated from the rest, a shout that should have had him wincing at the volume and proximity but his smile only widened.

“Pidge.”

His voice was a rasp.

But it was his own.

And his own words.

And no voice echoed in his mind.

Macidus was…

He was gone.

His smile grew.

They’d done it.

Hands were on him then -- in his hair, on his face, gripping at his own hands -- and Lance inclined his cheek into the most familiar one while he tried to squeeze back, limbs heavy but they still moved at his command and no pain tried to redirect him.

“Hunk,” he whispered.

“L-Lance,” Hunk sobbed. 

Lance wanted to see them. 

But…

But last time he’d opened his eyes…

Cruel yellow had stared back. 

What if… 

Even though he didn’t feel Macidus he was still…

A larger hand holding onto his left gave a gentle squeeze. “Come now, lad,” Coran murmured. “Let’s see those pretty blue eyes of yours.”

Lance took a rasping breath.

And slowly, slowly, opened his eyes.

His entire space family looked back. Pidge. Hunk. Allura. Keith and Shiro. Romelle and Coran and even the wolf. 

“There you are,” Coran said softly.

Lance felt his lip wobble. 

They were…

They were all okay.

“You reckless idiot,” Keith said, arms folded across his chest as though he had room to talk but the soft, gentle smile on his face told the real story. 

“Is…” his tongue felt thick. “Is he…?”

“The Druid is gone,” Allura’s voice was hard. It softened as jewel-toned eyes met Lance’s. “He shall not darken this world ever again. And I am… I am so grateful to have you back.”

Lance felt his cheeks heat at the declaration, darkening more as Allura pressed a kiss to his cheek.

A groan followed immediately after as Lance tried to sit up and _pain_ echoed in his chest.

“Allura had to restart your heart,” Pidge told him, voice nonchalant but unable to hide the waver even as Hunk helped him into a semi-propped position with a gentle murmur. “After you _fucking shot yourself._ And _don’t,”_ her tone turned into a growl, “say _anything_ about how you deserved it after shooting at us. After… after shooting me.”

Lance’s mouth clicked shut.

Pidge looked at him with sad, understand eyes. “We know you didn’t want to,” she said softly. “We know how hard you fought not to hurt us.”

But…

But he had. 

“What happened was not your fault,” Shiro shifted more to Lance’s beside, all of them squashed into what he realized was the Red Lion’s bedroom compartment, and now that he was sort of sitting he could see how many bandages adorned them; injuries Allura had been too exhausted to heal fully. Charcoal gray eyes, warm but fierce, bored into Lance’s. “Do you understand?”

Lance swallowed.

His gaze cut around the room.

Just like when he’d been shooting at them, _hurting them,_ trying to _kill them,_ there was no blame to be found. 

And he gave a tiny nod. “I… I understand.”

“Good,” Shiro said and a breath of relief seemed to echo about the chamber.

Lance felt it too.

A warm, gentle feeling wrapping about his heart and nothing like Macidus’ cruel fire. 

He sank into it, along with the pillows Hunk was lowering him back down against.

“Now that that is taken care of,” Coran said, “Lance needs to rest. A stunner of that magnitude directly to the heart not to mention what that Druid did,” his voice darkened ever so before brightening, “is no walk in the parka.”

“Park,” Lance and Pidge corrected automatically, as they always did when Coran missaid an Earth phrase.

Coran made a shooing motion at them both that pulled a weak laugh out of Pidge and Lance only refrained as even a heavier breath made his chest ache. 

“Princess, Number Five and Number Two, the same. Princess, your quintessence levels are severely depleted and the two of you suffered debilitating injuries that while healed still need rest.”

“Works for me,” Pidge said.

It was the only warning Lance got as she whipped back the half-blanket on him and snuggled in.

Lance gasped as freezing feet landed on his calf and Pidge just grinned, knowing full well what she’d done, even as one arm came to ever so gently to drape over his stomach in as much a hug as she could give him at the moment.

Lance wouldn’t have moved her even if he’d had the strength to do so.

The narrow bed _groaned_ as Hunk shifted on it too, already sitting against the wall but angling himself down to lie on Lance’s other side. 

And then…

Allura was pulling herself onto the foot of the bed and squeezing in between Lance and Hunk as Hunk patted his stomach for her to use as a pillow. Coran was faintly protesting this was not proper decorum for a princess and there was not enough room but Allura was already stealing part of the blanket and wriggling in and he made no real effort to stop her, a soft smile pulling up his moustache.

The bed dipped again and Shiro was pulling himself awkwardly on by the foot, Keith hovering until Shiro reached out and yanked him down and Romelle jumped up before Keith could even try to flee and wrapped her arms about both him and Shiro. 

Coran gave a chuckle and began to pick up some of Lance’s quilts he’d managed to save, set to the side it seemed, and began to drape them over the assembled bunch before he settled himself in the chair next to the bed, close enough still to reach around Pidge and lay a gentle hand atop Lance’s head.

Lance felt tears spring to his eyes at the gesture, at the fact he was surrounded so utterly and completely by his family who would not let him blame himself, would not blame him themselves, and were only going to offer unconditional support and love. Because that’s what family did. They protected each other, even if it was from themselves.

Or, the crazy Druid trying to take up residence in one their heads.

And for the first time the thought of Macidus didn’t make fear flit through Lance’s mind. Because there was nothing to fear.

Not anymore.

And with his family safe around him…

There never would be. 

**Author's Note:**

> A little mind control seemed appropriate given the Halloween season ♥ (but seriously, what is it with me and picking horror themes for these zine fics? I don't even like horror movies xD) On that note, I'm giving one last push for preorders for Volume Three of my Langst Zine that will be benefitting the awesome charity The Anti-Cruelty Society. Preorders run through October 22 and if we can reach the first stretch goal (currently at 16/25 zines preordered) I'll include another zine exclusive fic just like this one :) (although, obviously, different xD). You can **[find details on preordering on my Tumblr](https://icymakesazine.tumblr.com/post/629514167732387840/preorders-are-open-click-here-to-visit-the)**.
> 
> And if you enjoyed this fic it would mean a lot to hear from you in the comments ♥ Not sure what to say? Try some of these: Share a favorite line (dialogue, exposition), a favorite scene, how the fic (or even a certain section!) made you feel, what your favorite part was, an observation on the writing style, a neat piece of figurative language you enjoyed, condolences for how painful it was to tYpE LiKe tHiS ;p... Thanks so much! ♥


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